


The Prophets & You

by chickensonmyhead



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Bajoran Religion, Gen, Prophets, cheesy religious pamphlet, orb experiences, prophetism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 14:37:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20658875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chickensonmyhead/pseuds/chickensonmyhead
Summary: A pamphlet for outsiders who want to explore their relationship with the Prophets.[This can be taken seriously or not, it's up to you lol. I found that the Bajoran religion doesn't officially have a name, so I decided to call it "Prophetism" for convenience.]





	1. Intro: The Act of Having Faith

People get into the Bajoran faith many different ways. Some through family members, some through orb experiences, and some have simply decided that the Prophets are the ones most equipped to guide them. However, most of you reading this will not be native Bajorans, nor will have had orb experiences, as they are kept under heavy guard. But, the fact is, neither of these things are necessary to practice your faith. The only thing you need, unsurprisingly, is faith in the Prophets. Experience with Bajoran culture is not necessary for practice, since faith is not something actions can express. You may pray if you so choose, but if your relationship with the Prophets does not include praying, that is the right path for you. Only you can decide what the Prophets mean to you, and that means only you can decide how you interact with them. Many followers of Prophetism choose to pray because it reasserts their connection with the Prophets on a personal level. Praying can make one feel more grounded, and can lift spirits. The Prophets are excellent listeners, as they are aware of all time and events in their unique way of perception.  
If you are one of those who choose to express faith differently than Bajoran culture outlines, you are not alone. There are many who let the Prophets guide their life who do not necessarily go to temple or do other practices that are typical of Prophetism. Despite what many say, this does not mean your relationship with the Prophets is casual. It is merely different. The Prophets' only intentions are to guide, not dictate people's lives. A fulfilling spiritual life takes on many forms. If you do want to dive into Bajoran culture, you will always be welcomed! The monastery's serene gardens always could use an extra hand. If you are lost or unsure about your spiritual life, monks and Vedeks will always be up to chat. They give excellent guidance and are an excellent resource if you want to learn more about practicing Prophetism. Additionally, there are classes, typically taught by Vedeks, offered on Bajor that are designed to educate beginners and natives alike on the influence of the Prophets.


	2. What to Expect From the Prophets

A subject of hot debate recently is whether the Prophets have any "real" power or not. A lot of Bajorans feel hurt and betrayed by the Prophets because they chose to put them through the Cardassian occupation. Which brings us to the question- do the Prophets really care? If they do care, why didn't they stop genocide? Well, we don't know what the Prophets think and feel, or even if they do think or feel. Sometimes we have to remember that the Prophets are not entirely Gods. They are aliens whose perception of time and space happens to be vastly different from ours. They give us so much in the form of prophecy and guidance that we forget their limitations. The celestial temple was hidden for thousands of years because of conflicts with the Pah Wraiths. They didn't even fully understand corporeal beings until they met the Emissary. It is true that we have always been a part of their existence, as they have ours, but we have never had a perfect method of communication. This does not deny that they have the powers to stop suffering, however. They just have made the judgement not to use those powers, and we must trust that judgement. A world without suffering would be a world in which there was no excitement, no fear, no danger. No yin to highlight the yang. The Prophets seem to have their own sort of Prime Directive when it comes to suffering, and it ultimately leads us to the life we were meant to lead.

On the previous page, we talked about how you communicate with the Prophets. Now, we can discuss the ways the Prophets may choose to communicate with you. The thing that garners the most excitement in people seems to be the orb experiences. That's understandable, since direct communication can provide you with more clear answers that prayer may not bring. Orbs, however, are fairly inaccessible to most people. So, instead, this pamphlet is going to focus on more abstract communications. You may feel your pagh, your life force, as strong or weak. You may feel a sudden rush of clarity, or a sudden unexplainable rush of inspiration. These are all ways the Prophets communicate on a personal level, even through something as simple as a gut feeling. The Prophets' purpose is to guide, and their guidance may be so subtle that we cannot notice it on the surface. But, if we look at our lives closely, we see that the Prophets are there, every step of the way.


	3. Conduct Under the Prophets

As you all may know, monks, Vedeks, and especially the Kai follow strict rules of conduct and dress. They all have different opinions on what one can and cannot do while honoring the Prophets, but there is no right or wrong way to dress or act. Whatever direction the Prophets push you in, you are obliged to follow. One's personal direction can, in fact, include things that are frowned upon by religious authorities, such as dressing in revealing clothing, having premarital sex, and using mind-altering substances. The Prophets have never explicitly forbade these things. The core thing the Prophets work against isn't something as trivial as frowned-upon conduct. The only thing the Prophets care about working against is evil- and, contrary to popular belief, showing cleavage isn't evil. The only true thing you can do to disappoint the Prophets is to stray from your path of morality. Hurting others in any way is strictly forbidden. However, anyone can seek forgiveness from the Prophets. If you have hurt someone in the past, you must first remove yourself from what is making you behave in such a way. Second, you must take every action to ensure you will never do such a thing again. And third, you may seek forgiveness from the person you hurt, but you have to be okay with the fact that you may not be forgiven. Then, only then, can the Prophets forgive. No matter how much hurt you may have caused, the Prophets will guide you without discrimination. The Prophets know that, as mortal humanoids, we make mistakes, and they are accepting of that. The Prophets accept everything you are, and everything you will ever be. So, there really are no rules of conduct when it comes to the Prophets. The only thing you will need to follow is your own moral compass. And, if that compass is broken, the Prophets can fix it. Sometimes, the Prophets will give you a direct push in the direction of your destiny. Since the Prophets communicate in such an abstract way, those moments of guidance can become confusing. If you are not sure what to do following a personal prophecy, contact a Vedek at your leisure.


End file.
